The Brahma chicken has fans around the world. The country of origin is said by most authorities to be India, which goes with the name and its popularity in English speaking countries. These birds are bred for show and for utility, which means meat and egg production.
The first Brahmas were brought to the US in 1846 and within 24 years has become an established breed accepted by the American Poultry Association. Fabulous prices were paid for the earliest of the breed, but their offspring spread rapidly through the country and in a surprisingly short time many people were able to enjoy this versatile fowl.
Brahmas are very pretty birds, if they conform to the 'Standards of Perfection' of the American Poultry Association. There are color and marking criteria as well as specifications of shape that have been shown to result in high meat and egg production. It appears that an expert can tell whether a hen will be a good layer by looking at her expression and her body shape.
The original chickens were white with black, and this color is still the most popular; today these are called Light Brahmas. The Dark Brahma is black tipped with white in the cock and dark gray and black in the hens. There is also the Buff Brahma, in which the base color is a warm tan and the markings black and brown. All Brahmas have feathered legs and feet and fluffy, compact tails.
Show birds are judged for both color and conformation, and chickens bought for the barnyard should follow the same standards. Long experience has shown that there is a certain shape shared by all good Brahma hens that are good layers, and the high, rounded breast of a Brahma is a sign of a good meat chicken. Get purebred chicks if you want to have the full benefits of owning this all-purpose fowl.
These birds, which grew so rapidly in popularity that they were well distributed in the United States by 1870 (only twenty-four years after they were first brought from India), have never gone out of fashion. Standing up to twenty-six inches in height, with feathered legs and toes, the roosters are striking in all of the three accepted colors. The Light Brahma is the most true to type, which makes it the most suitable for 4-H projects and other poultry show breeding. Breeders have developed a Banty version, which is just as attractive and hardy while being much smaller.
The chicks are available from most hatcheries, many of which ship the day-old chicks all over the country as soon as the spring brings warmer weather. Check online for local sources and for national hatcheries. There are Brahma clubs to be found in the United States, in England, and in Australia.
Brahma chickens are fun to show, great in the barnyard, and even make good pets. If you have not heard about this breed before, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
The first Brahmas were brought to the US in 1846 and within 24 years has become an established breed accepted by the American Poultry Association. Fabulous prices were paid for the earliest of the breed, but their offspring spread rapidly through the country and in a surprisingly short time many people were able to enjoy this versatile fowl.
Brahmas are very pretty birds, if they conform to the 'Standards of Perfection' of the American Poultry Association. There are color and marking criteria as well as specifications of shape that have been shown to result in high meat and egg production. It appears that an expert can tell whether a hen will be a good layer by looking at her expression and her body shape.
The original chickens were white with black, and this color is still the most popular; today these are called Light Brahmas. The Dark Brahma is black tipped with white in the cock and dark gray and black in the hens. There is also the Buff Brahma, in which the base color is a warm tan and the markings black and brown. All Brahmas have feathered legs and feet and fluffy, compact tails.
Show birds are judged for both color and conformation, and chickens bought for the barnyard should follow the same standards. Long experience has shown that there is a certain shape shared by all good Brahma hens that are good layers, and the high, rounded breast of a Brahma is a sign of a good meat chicken. Get purebred chicks if you want to have the full benefits of owning this all-purpose fowl.
These birds, which grew so rapidly in popularity that they were well distributed in the United States by 1870 (only twenty-four years after they were first brought from India), have never gone out of fashion. Standing up to twenty-six inches in height, with feathered legs and toes, the roosters are striking in all of the three accepted colors. The Light Brahma is the most true to type, which makes it the most suitable for 4-H projects and other poultry show breeding. Breeders have developed a Banty version, which is just as attractive and hardy while being much smaller.
The chicks are available from most hatcheries, many of which ship the day-old chicks all over the country as soon as the spring brings warmer weather. Check online for local sources and for national hatcheries. There are Brahma clubs to be found in the United States, in England, and in Australia.
Brahma chickens are fun to show, great in the barnyard, and even make good pets. If you have not heard about this breed before, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
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